Layland Mine Disaster

Department of Mines Report

Annual Report of the Department of Mines
For the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1915

NEW RIVER & POCAHONTAS CONSOLIDATED COAL COMPANY DUST
EXPLOSION.

On Tuesday, March 2, 1915, at 8:30 A. M. an explosion occurred in the
No. 3 mine located at Layland, Fayette County, operated by the New
River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, resulting in the death
of one hundred and twelve persons, one hundred and eleven on the
inside and one on the outside. At the time of the explosion there was
one hundred and sixty-four persons at work in the mine, seven of
whom were working on the fourth left off of third main entry and were
rescued shortly after the explosion. Fortunately the fan. was not damaged
to any extent and in a very short time Mr. Kneer, Mine Superintendent.
and Mr. Nahodil, Mine Foreman, entered the mine finding the overcast
partly destroyed and stoppings blown out. They returned to the outside
reporting the conditions found to Mr. H. M. Bertolet, the General
Superintendent, Mr. Holliday and Mr. Absalom, District Mine Inspectors,
who had arrived at the mine, and under the direction of Mr. H. M. Bertolet
rescue crews were organized who immediately entered the mine for
the purpose of restoring ventilation, removing the dead and rescuing the
living should any be found. The rescue work was carried on successfully
without any interruption and rapid progress was made under the existing
conditions, as the force of the explosion had displaced the timbers
at the main entrance of the mine, causing the same to be greatly obstructed
by a large quantity of earth and stone, which required several
days to move. For this reason supplies were taken into the mine
through a narrow space by the side of the fan, as there was no track
in the air course and all material had to be carried into the mine, the
farthest point being at least one mile from the entrance, but this work was
carried on day and night, with no complaint, as there were several
hundred miners and mine officials on the scene ready and willing to aid
in the rescue work. The working force was divided into several crews,
working six hour shifts until twelve o'clock Friday night, at which
time all the bodies found on the tunnel and main fourth headings had
been removed to the outside. Having completed the work in this part
of the mine the men on duty were called to the outside and the fan
stopped, for the purpose of making the necessary changes to reverse
the air current. While this work was being done a large force of men
were removing the obstructions from the main entrance of the mine, as
this work could be completed on the following morning, at which time
the haulage ways could be used in handling material and bodies.

About 8:00 o'clock A. M. Saturday morning the entrance to the mine
was cleared and a number of men were waiting for the fan to be started
when they were greatly surprised to see five miners walk out of the
mine, reporting that they were working on the ninth left entry off of
third main at the time of the explosion and that they had made several
attempts each day to come to the outside but were unable to do so owing
to the large quantity of afterdamp which was being forced from the
tunnel and fourth main headings through the sixth left to the main
No. 3, which at this time was the main return through which they
would have to travel to get to the outside. Upon investigation, a few
hours after the fan had been stopped, they found that the natural ventilation
had improved the condition sufficient for them to make their way
to the outside, having in their possession a note which was picked
up by one of them in their travel, giving the information that there
was forty-one miners in the tenth left heading. When this fact was
made known a number of men hurriedly entered ihe mine, travelling
to the tenth left heading, where they found a slate stopping constructed
on the entry. Hastily removing part of this stopping and going a distance
of about one hundred feet, another slate stopping was found,
which was also hastily removed, behind which was found a number of
men. Upon investigation, several more men were found in a room,
all of whom were brought on the main entry, many of them being in an
exhausted condition, having had nothing to eat for four days and nights
except the strings in their shoes and bark from the mine props. As soon
as possible these men were assisted to the outside, where they received
proper care and attention under the direction of the physicians and
quickly revived from their fearful experience. The scenes on the outside
upon the arrival of the forty-six men alive, who had been given
up as dead, were beyond description. Among the persons rescued there
were several nationalities and of different ages. One of them a Mr.
Whalen, who had passed his seventy-fourth year, and who was working
with his son, John, in room No. 24 on ninth left heading, at the time
of the explosion, and his statement was to the effect that there was
practically no disturbance in that part of the mine, just a feeling that a
man could not describe, but from his experience he realized that an
explosion had occurred. His son called to him and they made their
way to the main entry, where they found a wrecked trip of cars, but the
afterdamp was so strong that they were unable to get any further. By
this time a large number of men who worked on the ninth and tenth
lefts came to them and they decided among themselves to make no attempt
to make their way out, but would return to the tenth left, as
this part of the mine had not been affected. By some means these men
became separated, five going into the ninth left and forty-one into the
tenth left, where they immediately proceeded to construct slate stoppings
to protect themselves from the afterdamp, remaining within the enclosed
chamber for four days and nights, during which time many prayers were
made that they would be rescued or be relieved from their suffering
by death, which would, undoubtedly, have been their doom had not
one of the five men making their way out, found the note stating that
they were behind the barricade on the tenth left.

When it was reported that an explosion had occurred at this mine
it was a great surprise, as this was considered one of the safest mines
in the field, being at an altitude of two thousand and five hundred feet,
operating the Fire Creek seam, varying in thickness from three and a
half to five feet, developed on the double and triple entry plan and ventilated
by an eighteen foot Capell fan at a speed of eighty revolutions,
producing eighty-five thousand cubic feet of air per minute, divided into
four splits and so regulated that an adequate amount at air would be
furnished and properly distributed to each split as required by law. The
mine was generally damp, with the exception of the live workings, where
there was a slight accumulation of dust, but not to the extent of it
being considered dangerous. At no time had any dangerous quantity of
explosive gas been detected.

John I. Absalom, State District Mine Inspector, made a thorough examination
of the mine January 19, 1915, and his report showed the mine
to be in first class condition, Mr. R. Y. Muir, Inspector for the Operating
Company, examined the mine February 25th and he found the mine
in good condition. No gas was reported by either of the above named
Inspectors. Both of these men are well known by all of the mining
people in this section of the state and considered expert mining men.

On the 15th and 16th following the explosion, officials of the Company,
State Mine Inspectors and a number of mining men examined the mine
for the purpose of ascertaining the cause of the explosion and, if possible,
the point of origin. In making this examination all conditions were
carefully noted and it was unanimously agreed that the explosion was
due to dust and the point of origin at the face of air course to the
third left heading, at which place a hole was found four and a halt
feet in depth, angling toward the entry and lacking only eight inches
of being bored through, as the pillar was very thin at this point. The
conditions showed that this hole had been heavily charged with a high
explosive, as one of the bodies found nearby was headless and judging
from the position in which it was found it is an evident fact that the
hole had been charged with dynamite, had not been properly tamped,
and the small barrier of coal at the back of the hole giving but little
resistance caused the shot to blow through into the entry and ignite the
dust, which caused an explosion at this point and was propagated throughout
a greater part of the mine by fine dust which finds lodgement on
ribs, roof and pavement, and which is readily put in suspension, which
added fuel increased the force of the explosion and violence, destroying
stopping, doors and overcasts, cutting off the ventilation from the affected
part of the mine, resulting in the death of a large number of persons
from suffocation, as only a few of the bodies were found to be mutilated.

"STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
COUNTY OF FAYETTE, to-wit:

An inquisition at Layland, West Virginia, in the County of Fayette,
beginning on the 7th day of March, 1915, and ending on the 17th day of
March, 1915. Before B. S. Hastings of the said County of Fayette, upon
the view of the bodies of Virgil Lacy, John Saul, Wilson Kessel, Dennis
P. Hurley and John Spularic and others, there lying dead.

The jurors sworn to inquire when, how and by what means the said
Virgil Lacy, John Saul, Wilson Kessel, Dennis P. Hurley and John
Spolaric and others came to their death, upon their oaths do say that
they came to their death by a dust explosion caused by a blow through
shot in the 3rd left of main tunnel heading in the No. 3 mines of the New
River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, located at Layland,
said County of Fayette, State of West Virginia, on Tuesday March 2nd,
1915.

In testimony whereof, the said Justice and Jurors hereto set their
hands.